Method of bonus odds gaming

ABSTRACT

A method of including a bonus odds component in any wagering game with a plurality of players, wherein the initial game bet to participate in the wagering game pays out odds greater than a one to one ratio on the initial game bet in favor of the players, using a bonus game token or a designated location to place the initial game bet. When players place the bonus game token with their initial game bet, the standard pay out odds are reduced to a predetermined lower pay out odds, odds not to be less than a one to one ratio and qualifies the player&#39;s initial game bet for the bonus odds component. Conditions to win the bonus odds component are are predetermined and are based upon an event or plurality of events that can occur within the wagering game. Should a player participate in the bonus odds component win the wagering game, but does not win the bonus odds component, then the amount of reduced odds are added to the bonus odds component. Should a player lose both elements, the bonus odds of the bonus odds component remain the same. Should a player or plurality of players win the bonus odds component, then each winning player is paid an amount equal to their initial game bet times the odds each player is entitled to and the bonus odds component&#39;s odds are lowered to a predetermined starting amount. The bonus odds component can be expanded to encompass different amounts of wagers having different bonus odds for each wagering amount, allow for wagering game operators to draw a profit, and have electronic computerized display screens to show bonus odds.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH

Not Applicable

SEQUENCE LISTING OR PROGRAM

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The present invention is a method of including a bonus odds component inany wagering game wherein the initial game bet to participate in saidwagering game pays out odds greater than a one to one ratio on saidinitial game bet in favor of the player, found in games such asroulette, craps, card games such as Nevada Hold'em, and video gamingmachines in casino environments and in home environments.

2. Background of the Invention

The present invention is unique in its method of bonus odds gamingwherein the reward is based upon an increasing odds pay out instead of amonetary jackpot that continues to increase. There are a limited numberof progressive jackpot patents for card games where an optional andseparate side bet is wagered by players, U.S. Pat. No. 4,861,041 (toJones, et al.), to win part or all of a progressive jackpot where partor all of the separate amounts wagered are carried over and added to thejackpot amount.

The present invention however teaches the concept of increasing the oddsamount every time a player in a wagering game trys to meet a certain setof conditions that can occur within the wagering game. Each time aplayer attempts and fails to meet the conditions, the odds can beincreased.

Instead of a player placing a separate side bet as found in progressivejackpots, the present invention is included in games wherein the initialgame bet has odds greater than a one to one payout in favor of theplayer and the player simply wavers one or more of the standards oddsoffered to qualify their bet for the present invention's bonus oddscomponent. There is no actual separate wager to participate in the bonusodds component and there is no standing monetary jackpot to be won.

The present invention teaches when a player does win the bonus oddscomponent of the present invention, the amount won is determined by theamount the player wages muliplied by the current odds that are based onthe number of times previous players have attempted and failed to winthe bonus odds component of the present invention.

There are patented games where additional bonus games can be won withinthe game by meeting certain conditions, U.S. Pat. No. 6,659,461 (toShuffle Master, Inc.). However, the players are simply allowed to playadditional bonus games without placing additional wagers.

There are a mulitude of expired and current patented wagering gameswhere a player places an initial game bet and is paid a predeterminedamount based on the amount the player wagers times a predetermined oddsamount that is based solely on the probability of a specific eventoccurring within the game. The odds never increase or decrease. Suchgames are roulette, craps, video games, and card games that encompassalmost the entire gaming industry.

However, none of these well established wagering games allow a player towaver one or more of the standard odds offered on the initial game betto participate in any bonus odds component which can have odds greaterthan the standard predetermined odds offered in the wagering game.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

In accordance with the present invention, there are several objects andadvantages:

(a) there are no separate wagers to qualify player for the bonus oddscomponent included in the wagering game;

(b) there are no second or additional wagers to qualify player for thebonus odds component included in the wagering game;

(c) there are no rack amounts taken from each game's total wagers;

(d) one can predetermine the starting bonus odds for each allowedinitial game bet amounts and allow higher initial game bets to beplaced;

(e) conditions to win bonus odds component need not be based onpredetermined mathematical odds as the odds of the bonus odds componentonly increase when the player wins the initial game bet and by the oddsthe player wavers on their initial game bets;

(f) income from the bonus odds component can be regulated and adjustedto the exact percentages required by gaming operators;

(g) there is no progression of the bonus odds component in the sensethat every time the game is played the bonus odds increase as the bonusodds do not increase when a player loses the inital game bet to thewagering game and loses the bonus odds component;

(h) the players have the option to play the bonus odd component.

In accordance with the most important feature of the present invention,gaming operators of wagering games need no longer fear multiple winswithin the mathematical range of odds offered on wagers.

In accordance with the present invention, the bonus odds component'sodds can exceed the mathematical odds of the predetermined conditionsand attract customers from their competitors.

SUMMARY

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a bonus oddscomponent to any wagering game where the initial game bet to participatein the wagering game pays out odds greater than a one to one ratio onthe initial game bet in favor of the player.

A bonus odds game token having no wagering value in the wagering game isused by the player to qualify the player's initial game bet for thebonus odds component of the present invention. The bonus odds game tokenreduces the standard pay out odds offered on the player's initial gamebet in the wagering game, the amount of reduced pay out odds being thetransferred odds amount, to a predetermined lower pay out odds not to beless than a one to one pay out odds. In essence, the player is waveringone or more of the standard pay out odds to participate in the bonusodds component.

The conditions to win the bonus odds component of the present inventionare based upon an event or a plurality of events that can occur withinthe wagering game and are predetermined prior to the start of the gameand the player placing their initial game wager.

The method of participating in the bonus odds component of the presentinvention requires the player to place a bonus odds game token with andat the same time the player places their initial game bet. Participatingin the bonus odds component of the present invention is optional to theplayer.

If the player participates in the bonus odds component of the presentinvention wins the wagering game and does not win the bonus oddscomponent of the present invention, the player is paid the predeterminedlower pay out odds and the transferred odds amount is transferred andadded to the amount of bonus odds in the bonus odds component.

If the player participates in the bonus odds component of the presentinvention loses the wagering game and does not win the bonus oddscomponent of the present invention, the transferred odds amount is nottransferred to the bonus odds component of the present invention.

If the player participates in the bonus odds component of the presentinvention and wins the bonus odds component of the present invention thetransferred odds amount is transferred and added to the amount of bonusodds in the bonus odds component of the present invention. The player ispaid an amount equal to the player's initial game bet multiplied by theamount of bonus odds the player is entitled to in the bonus oddscomponent of the present invention.

Should a plurality of players win the bonus odds component of thepresent invention, the winning players will equally split the amount ofbonus odds in the bonus odds component of the present invention.

When the bonus odds component of the present invention is won, the bonusodds components's odds amount is lowered to a predetermined startingamount.

The method of bonus odds gaming can be expanded, wherein the wageringgame has different wagering amount for the initial game bet, the bonusodds component of the present invention will consist of separate bonusodds amounts for each allowed initial game bet amount.

Wherein the bonus odds game token is replaced by a designated locationat the wagering game where upon the designated location represents thebonus odds game token.

Wherein the wagering game operators do not add one out of apredetermined number, the predetermined number not to be less than four,of the transferred odds to the bonus odds component of the presentinvention in order to maintain gaming operations.

Wherein an electronic computerized display screen and mechanical devicebe present at or near the wagering game to combine, increment,decrement, and display all bonus odds amounts for all allowed initialgame bets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 shows a bonus odds game token that can be used by players toqualify player's initial game bet for the bonus odds component of thepresent invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawing of FIG. 1, the apparatus 1 for the presentinvention is a round token with a diameter of 1.5 inches and a thicknessof one-eighth of an inch having a unique color different than the gamingtokens used in the wagering game.

On both sides of apparatus 1 will be the same information as follows;

-   -   (a) identifies apparatus 1 as a bonus odds game token;    -   (b) identifies the predetermined pay out odds on the player's        initial game bet;    -   (c) identifies any special conditions that apply to the initial        game bet.

OPERATION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The player places the preferred embodiment on top, beside, or within adesignated area with and at the same time the player places the initialgame bet, depending upon the type of wagering game.

ADVANTAGE OF EMBODIMENT

The preferred embodiment clearly identifies the intensions of the playerto qualify the player's initial game bet for the bonus odds component ofthe present invention.

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, AND SCOPE

The present invention can be included into a mulitude of existing gamesthat presently offer low odds on the player's wagers. The presentinvention's bonus odds can increase to super bonus odds that willattract players to the types of wagering game that included the presentinvention.

Roulette, craps, video games, and card games can take on a whole newdimension that allows players to win large amounts on the smallest ofwagers.

Casino operators will no longer fear offering high bonus odds on eventsthat can occur within their wagering games. When there are a pluralityof winners at the same time, the bonus odds offered by the presentinvention can be divided equally between the winning players.

Players are not forced to place separate wagers or additional wagers toparticipate in the present invention. With display screens at thewagering game, players can determine when it is to their advantage toplace an initial game bet and qualify the bet for the bonus oddscomponent of the present invention.

1) A method of including a bonus odds component in any wagering gamewith a plurality of players, wherein the initial game bet to participatein said wagering game pays out odds greater than a one to one ratio onsaid initial game bet in favor of the players, comprising the steps of:(A) A bonus odds game token, having no wagering value, is used in saidwagering game that reduces said pay out odds on said initial game bet toa predetermined lower pay out odds, not to be less than a one to one payout odds, the amount of reduced pay out odds being the transferred odds,(B) Player using said bonus odds game token qualifies said player's saidinitial game bet for said bonus odds component, (C) Conditions to winsaid bonus odds component are based upon an event or a plurality ofevents that can occur within said wagering game and are predeterminedprior to the start of said wagering game, (D) If a plurality of playerswin said bonus odds component in said wagering game, said players willequally split the amount of bonus odds in said bonus odds component, (E)Players wagering said initial game bet to participate in said wageringgame have the option to participate in said bonus odds component, (F)Player chosing to participate in said bonus odds component must placesaid bonus odds game token with and at the same time said initial gamebet is placed to qualify said initial game bet for said bonus oddscomponent, (G) If player participating in said bonus odds component winssaid wagering game and does not win said bonus odds component, saidtransferred odds are transferred and added to the amount of bonus oddsin said bonus odds component, (H) If player participating in said bonusodds component does not win said wagering game and does not win saidbonus odds component, said transferred odds are not transferred and arenot added to the amount of bonus odds in said bonus odds component, (I)If player participating in said bonus odds component wins said bonusodds component, said transferred odds are transferred and added to theamount of bonus odds in said bonus odds component and said player ispaid an amount equal to said player's said initial game bet muliplied bythe amount of bonus odds said player is entitled to in said bonus oddscomponent, (J) If said bonus odds component is won said bonus oddscomponent's odds amount is lowered to a predetermined starting amount.2) The method of claim 1, wherein said wagering game has differentwagering amounts for said initial game bet, said bonus odds componentwill consist of separate bonus odds amounts for each allowed initialgame bet amount. 3) The method of claim 1, wherein said bonus odds gametoken in step (A) is replaced by a designated location at said wageringgame where as said designated location represents said bonus odds gametoken. 4) The method of claim 1, wherein said wagering game's operatorsdo not add one out of a predetermined number, said predetermined numbernot to be less than four, of said transferred odds in step (G) to saidbonus odds component. 5) The method of claim 1, wherein an electroniccomputerized display screen and a mechanical device be present at ornear said wagering game to combine, increment, decrement, and displayall bonus odds amounts for all allowed initial game bets.